Land Use

Planning Neglected in Philadelphia's High School Fire Sale

Inga Saffron asks the tough questions of Philadelphia's sale of University City High School to Drexel University.

June 18, 2014 - Philadelphia Inquirer

A Walk in the Woods Just Got Expensive in Washington and Oregon

The largest private owner of timberland in Washington and Oregon is now charging access fees ranging from $75 to $550 depending on the permit area. The $30 fees for National Forest and state parks passes look cheap by comparison.

June 18, 2014 - KUOW

No Little Plans for Private Passenger Rail Service Between Miami and Orlando

The last private passenger rail in the United States closed in 1983, but a private company is working on a 240-mile service between Orlando and Florida. CityLab recently detailed how a relic of the past could transform the Florida of the future.

June 17, 2014 - CityLab

Washington D.C. Could Convert Vacant Lots to Urban Farms

Following a trend that has been more common in shrinking cities, Washington D.C. is considering a bill that would convert district-owned lots into urban farms.

June 17, 2014 - DCist

Buffalo Rebooting its Code

Buffalo is nearing the finish line in an efforts to draft a new form-based code.

June 17, 2014 - Congress for the New Urbanism

Study: American Housing Preferences Mimic American Politics

Emily Badger pulls particularly salient information from last week's Pew Research Center's report on political attitudes: liberals prefer the city while conservatives prefer small towns and rural areas.

June 16, 2014 - The Washington Post - Wonkblog

9/11 Memorial

Is the 9/11 Memorial a 'Dead Space' in Lower Manhattan?

The grand opening of the 9/11 memorial and museum is derided by critics as a cold, uninviting public space, and 'ritualizing grief on a loop'

June 12, 2014 - The New York Times

For Sale: Air Rights at MARTA's Urban Train Stations

MARTA is exploring the desire of developers to build mixed-use buildings over its urban train stations. Any such deal would be the first of its kind in MARTA's 40-plus-year history.

June 12, 2014 - SaportaReport

Another Award for Cincinnati's Form-Based Code

Cincinnati’s Department of Planning and Buildings was awarded the grand prize for "Best Planning Tool or Process" at the Congress for the New Urbanism's national conference last week. The award is just the latest in a string of commendations.

June 11, 2014 - UrbanCincy

Food Sign

40 Visualizations of America and its Relationship with Food

A new post by Vox includes 40 maps, charts, and graphs explain that where and how food works in America.

June 10, 2014 - Vox

Buffalo Light Rail

Urbanists Soak Up Buffalo: PlaceMakers Empty Their Notebooks

Many of you attended CNU in Buffalo last week, but for those of you who couldn't make it, here's a quick collection of a few of the ideas shared.

June 9, 2014 - PlaceShakers

The Lingering Consequences of Chicago's Parking Meter Privatization

An article examines "Exhibit A for bad public contracting"—a 75-year lease between Chicago a Morgan Stanley-led private consortium for 36,000 parking meters—as a cautionary tale about the lingering impacts of bad deals.

June 9, 2014 - Next City

Los Angeles Paying Hollywood Community Plan Opponents $1.5 Million

Picking up the pieces from Los Angeles' failed attempt at implementing a community plan for Hollywood now involves paying off the lawyers who shot down the ordinance to the tune of $1.5 million.

June 9, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

Transit Oriented Development Gaining Post-Recession Momentum in Maryland

A recent article describes the transit oriented development market in Maryland, where recession blues have given way to a boom.

June 9, 2014 - Baltimore Sun

When Cleveland Gives Away Public Parking, the Browns Profit

The Cleveland City Council this week approved a new ordinance that gives away city-owned parking for free for the Cleveland Browns to use—and charge for—during games. High cost of free parking indeed.

June 8, 2014 - 19 Action News

Tracking the Rate of Sprawl for U.S. Cities between 2000 and 2010

Many studies have measured and compared the sprawl of U.S. metropolitan areas. A recent study tracks the rate at which the same cities grew either less compact or more compact for the decade between 2000 and 2010.

June 7, 2014 - CityLab

How to Prevent National Forests Becoming 'National Ashtrays'

An editorial calls for innovative policy in post-fire recovery and reforestation. The recent release of the Environmental Impact Statement for the recovery of the Rim Fire should serve as a barometer for a "new public forestry."

June 7, 2014 - Sacramento Bee

Pedestrians Only

Lessons from Philadelphia's Newest Pedestrian Plaza

Convincing neighborhood stakeholders and local businesses that shutting down a street to cars is a good idea can be a herculean task. After nine years of work to do just that, a group of advocates in Philadelphia has lessons to share.

June 6, 2014 - This Old City

Big Plans for Garden Cities in the United Kingdom

Garden cities have been making news lately thanks to a new book by architect Robert A.M. Stern, but a design competition and policy declarations in the United Kingdom have put some serious skin in the game.

June 4, 2014 - BBC News

San Francisco Approves Prop B Height Restrictions

The eventuality predicted since San Francisco's Prop. B qualified for the ballot has come to pass, with more than 59 percent of San Francisco voters approving the ordinance that will require votes on developments exceeding existing height limits.

June 4, 2014 - SFGate

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.